Dorothy was always
cold, even at night by the fire she would hold a blanket tight to her chin,
feet tucked up with knees to her chest. Daddy said she needed to eat more, “to
put some meat on those bones”. That's why summer was a much happier time. Summer
brought warmth to those bones.
Dorothy liked to
play in the meadow with dolls and teapots. She held the most wonderful tea
parties, and everyone would smile and comment how wonderful the cakes where,
even if they were made of air and imagination. She never wanted her world to
change. Nonetheless it did when Billy Ray moved to town.
Billy Ray was a
kind soul, almost nice to a fault, slower than most kids his age. Daddy said he
had a hard birth and didn’t know how to breathe or something. Dorothy didn’t
mind, she was just happy to have someone to play with, the two where together
most days, sometimes even into the night. It was nice to have a friend who
liked dolls and tea parties in the meadow. But Billy Ray had a mean brother,
Charles James.
One day, about
sunset, Dorothy and Billy Ray were having a wonderful party. All the very best
people had attended and everything was delicious. Mrs. Wheaton and the Chauncey
sisters were the best hostess ever imagined. That was the day Charles Ray came
looking for Billy Ray.
Later everyone
would ask her what happened. She really didn't understand. Charles Ray had
found them in the meadow and for the first time saw the dolls and the tea
party. He didn’t want to play, he began screaming, and calling Billy Ray names.
Charles James kicked the dolls and stomped on the teapots, breaking them into a
thousand pieces. Dorothy ran away as fast as she could.
Sometimes on a
cold winter’s night, Dorothy was jealous of Billy Ray. He was warm in the ground
now and no one could call him names, or hurt him anymore.
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